1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for the efficient management of data in microscopy.
2. Related Art
Image data series from confocal or 4D-microscopes are stored to memory largely at a ratio of 1:1 relative to spatial and temporal data density. The resulting data sets attain orders of magnitude, in the interim, that can just roughly be processed by standard computers performing with thoroughly high capacity. Archiving of the image data series is difficult in spite of DVD technology, and is in part only possible through a network with expensive file servers. For reasons of data security, a local or even mobile filing system is also often preferred. Furthermore, the scanning speeds of modern confocal or 4D-microscopes operating in parallel are becoming significantly higher which means that data sets can be further expanded.
The discontinuous and intelligent data format required for the multimodal image information, including subsequent retrieval of information by interpolation, does not exist to date in confocal or 4D-microscopy.
D. R. Soll et al. describe in 2003 in Scientific World Journ., 3:827-841 a software based analysis of movement of microscopic data on the nuclei and pseudopodia in living cells in all 3 spatial dimensions. These data records come to acquire enormous sizes in spite of the moderate recording speed so that the results must be mathematically represented in part and not entirely visually.
M. A. Abdul-Karim et al. describe in 2003 in Microvasc. Res., 66:113-125 a long term analysis of changes in the blood vessels of living animals, wherein fluorescent images were recorded at intervals over several days. The 3D data records were evaluated with adapted algorithms to schematically illustrate the trajectories of movement. The magnitude of the data records presents a problem; the original structures were not reconstituted.
R. Grossmann et al. describe in 2002 in Glia, 37:229-240 a 3D analysis of the movements of microglia cells in rats, whereby the data was recorded for up to 10 hours. At the same time, after traumatic injuries, the neuroglia also react with rapid reactions so that a high data rate and correspondingly large volumes of data are generated.